Dear Lifehacker, I am quite security-conscious when it comes to online accounts and use strong passwords via LastPass and two-factor authentication wherever possible via SMS. However, I will be travelling overseas soon, and getting a new SIM card and number. How can I keep my accounts secure while travelling and not need to receive text messages?

17 May 2014

Apple’s iMessage is a great way to avoid text messaging charges and send messages to other Apple users for free, but it’s not without its problems. Unfortunately, unlike traditional SMS, the problems don’t seem to magically work themselves out on their own, so here’s how to fix some of the more common issues you might come across.

9 May 2014

You don’t switch away from your PC to your smartphone to reply to an email or an instant message, so why should a simple SMS message be any different? Thankfully, if you have an Android device, you can continue using your PC (and its full-size spacious keyboard) to read and send text messages. Our choice for this task: MightyText.

1 May 2014

Dear Lifehacker, I have an online savings account with an Australian bank that uses SMS codes for verification and login. However, it only allows Australian mobile numbers. I find this very restrictive: what if I travel overseas but don’t want to activate global roaming? Is there any way I can work around this?

14 April 2014

Android: While Whatsapp and other alternative texting apps are great for sharing links and pics, the humble SMS is lagging behind. Well, not if you have Invi, which makes text messages a multimedia-rich experience.

11 April 2014

Dear Lifehacker, I’ve been hearing a lot about different messaging apps these days, but I don’t understand why I should care. One search shows WhatsApp, Viber, iMessages, Snapchat, Kik, Facebook Messenger and dozens more. I already have text messaging. Why do I need these other apps?

4 April 2014

Android: Facebook’s Chat Heads is the surprisingly clever feature with the silly name. If you prefer to use SMS but still want to use a floating messenger, HoverChat offers the same functionality in a basic texting app.

19 January 2014

Android: In KitKat, Google has replaced the old Messaging app with Hangouts. If you still want a dedicated app for SMS, or if you’re on an older version of Android and want a better messaging app, Hello SMS is a strong contender as a beautiful replacement with a unique tabs-based interface.